Emergency exit lock



A ril 23, 1940. H. G. VOIGHT ET! AL.

EMERGENCY EXIT LOCK Filed Sept. 15, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 23, 1940- H. G. VOIGHT ET AL EMERGENCY EXIT LOCK Filed Sept. 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 23, 1940. H. G. VOIGHT ET AL EMERGENCY EXIT LOCK Filed Sept. 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMERGENCY EXIT LOCK of Connecticut Application September 13, 1939, Serial No. 294,690

14 Claims.

This invention relates to door locks, and more particularly to so-called panic bar locks. Such locks are particularly adapted for use in public buildings designed to accommodate a large number of people, such as halls, churches, school houses, theaters, office buildings, and the like. They are so designed as to provide easy exit from the building at any time, and particularly in case of emergency, such as a fire or the like.

Such locks are usually provided with a socalled panic bar pivoted at the inside of the door, and it is desirable that the bolt be operated by movement of the panic bar either upwardly or downwardly about its pivot, so that it will be impossible to move the bar in the wrong direction. Moreover, it is also desirable in such locks to have a side latch bolt, that is, a latch bolt projecting from the side edge of thelock case.

In the past on account of the somewhat complex mechanism necessary to provide such a lock with all of the necessary or desirable features, it has been necessary to make the lock case excessively large in order that it may house the required mechanical structure necessary to perform the operations desired in the lock. In the present instance it is contemplated by the invention to provide a panic bar lock which shall have a side latch bolt, and in which the mechanism shall be so constructed and arranged that it may be housed within a relatively small case. In the embodiment of the invention disclosed, this result is obtained by supporting the mechanism of the lock upon different planes or stages, so that some of the operating parts will be superimposed upon other parts relatively to the depth dimension of the lock case, while at the same time the superimposed mechanism is provided with adequate support from the case itself to insure its efficient and positive operation.

One object of the invention is to provide an emergency exit lock of the type described, in which the mechanism is housed in a relatively small lock case.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an emergency exit lock having a side latch bolt and oppositely movable latch-operating members within the case, these parts being so arranged that the stem of the bolt will be superposed upon the operating members in order that all of the parts may be housed in a case of relatively narrow width.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an emergency exit lock of the type described having within the case a latch bolt a and means to operate the bolt from a panic bar pivoted at the inside of the door, and also having means by which the latch bolt may be operated by a knob or latch structure at the outside of the door, if desired, the parts being arranged in superposed relation within the lock case and suitably supported for positive and efiicient operation.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a door provided with a lock embodying our invention;

on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the lock mechanism with the back of the case removed to show the interior mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the upper part of the look, as shown in Fig. 3, but showing in dotted lines the latch bolt and associated parts when the bolt is in retracted position;

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the lock case;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the lock adapted for knob operation at the outside of the door;

Fig. 10 is a view of the lower portion of the look as shown in Fig. 3, the parts, however, being adapted for knob operation;

Fig. 11 is a sectional View on line ll-ll of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on line Ill-l2 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 13 and 14 are detail views of the latchoperating members removedfrom the lock.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of our invention We have shown in a fragmentary Way a door H3 provided with a lock case I I, the case being provided with spaced ears 12 between which is pivoted one end of a swinging panic bar It, the other end being similarly pivoted to an escutcheon I4 secured to the door in spaced relation to the case H.

As shown in Fig. 12, the panic bar 13 is pivoted to the ears I2 by the pivot pin 15, and is provided with an operating finger l8 extending within the lock case to contact with abutments I! and [8 provided above and below the finger l6 Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the lock case on a pair of reciprocating slides l9 and 2E].

walking beam 25, which is pivoted to a stud 22 secured to the case between the slides l9 and 20. Springs 23 and 2d, acting against the ends of the slides and against abutments 25 and E3 on the lock case, tend to hold these slides in their normal position, or the position occupied when the latch bolt is protracted, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. It will be obvious that due to the connection of these slides by the walking beam 25 one of these members will be moved upwardly when the other is moved downwardly, so that regardless of whether the panic bar is swung upwardly or downwardly about its pivot it will contact with one of the slides and move both of them against the action of the springs 23 and 24.

Secured to the lock case in a position overlying the slides l9 and 20 is a bridge member 23, this member being secured to and supported by a block 28 formed integrally with the lock case. This bridge member, as shown in Fig. 5, is L- shaped in 'form and has a bifurcated laterally projecting end 30 between the parts of which is slidably disposed the stem 3| of a latch bolt 32 pivoted to the case at 33. Surrounding the stem is the usual spring 34, which acts at one end against the bolt 32, and at the other against the bifurcated end 30 of the bridge member 28 to normally maintain the latch in protracted position. At its rear end the stem 3| is provided with an abutment 35 which rests against the operating members of the latch, as will be hereinafter described, so that the spring 34 normally holds this abutment against these operating members.

Pivoted upon the lock case at 3'! are a pair of superposed latch retracting levers 38 and 39, shown particularly in Figs. 13 and 14. The member 38 has a horizontally turned portion 4!] at its lower end which overlies a lug 4| projecting laterally from the slide l9, as shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 11. At the upper end of the member 38 is a finger 42 which normally rests against the abutment 35 to operate the latch bolt. It will be obvious that movement of the panic bar l3 will operate the slides I9 and 25, the slide l9 always moving upwardly, and will swing the lever 38 upwardly to move the latch stem to the right, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and retract the latch.

It is also desirable to provide means for retracting the latch from the outside of the door. As shown in Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings, this is accomplished by means of a, slide 43 slidably mounted in the lock case and having a bifurcated lower end between the legs of which is a guide lug M. This slide is provided with a horizontally extending lug 45 adapted to be operated by a thumb latch member, not shown, pivoted at the outside of the door, so that when the thumb latch is operated this slide member will be moved upwardly. At this upper end the slide member l3 is provided with a laterally or horizontally turned portion M, which is designed to lie below the horizontally turned portion of the member 38, and also below the lower edge 48 of the latchretracting lever 39.

This latch-retracting lever, as has been described, overlies the member 38, and is provided with a boss 43, which contacts with the abutment 35. The lever 39 is also provided with an extended end 55 which projects up to a considerable distance above the end 42 of the member 38 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a bridge member 53 is secured by screws 54 to posts 55 formed integrally with the lock case, and this bridge member has a centrally disposed opening to receive the hub 56 of the walking beam 2|, so that this member will have a pivotal bearing at each face and thus be suitably supported for its swinging movement. The thumb latch-operated member 43 is also guided at its lower end between the front and rear surfaces of the case, as shown at the lower part of Fig. 2, and this member 43 is also guided by means of the lug 46 and the opening 51 in the back of the case, shown more especially in Fig. 8, through which this lug projects to be engaged by the finger of the thumb latch. The upper turned end 41 of the member 43 may also be provided with a lug 58 slidably guided in the opening 59 in the back plate 65 of the lock case, as shown in the same figure.

It is desirable in a lock of this character to be able to prevent the operation of the bolt from the outside. This is effected by means of a slide 62 mounted in the upper portion of the case, as shown more especially in Fig. 3, this slide hav-- ing a recess 53 in its lower edge, which recess, when the slide is in its lower position, is adapted to receive the upper end 55 of the latch-retracting lever 39. It will be remembered that this lever is moved upwardly by the thumb latch-operated member 43, and that when the upper end of this lever is engaged in the recess 63, it will be held against movement, therefore clogging the latch-retracting lever 39 and the slide 43, which is operated from the outside of the door. The slide 62 may be operated by the rollback 64, which in the form shown is actuated by a key-operated lock 65 at the inside of the door. The rollback 6d cooperates with talons 56 formed in the adjacent edge of the slide 52 to move this slide upwardly and downwardly in the case.

At its upper end the slide rests upon and is guided by a post 61 in the case, and at its lower end it is designed to rest upon a spring-pressed ball 53 mounted in a hollow stud 69, which in turn is supported by a stud 10 formed integrally with the lock case. The sliding plate 62 may be provided with a recess 7! in its lower face, with which the ball 68 engages when the slide is in its upper position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, in order that the slide may be yieldingly held in its inoperative position, and will not drop by gravity to its dogging position.

It is also desirable to have a key-operated means for operating the bolt from the outside of the door even when the ordinary outside boltoperating member has been dogged against movement. As shown in Figs. 3 and 6, a hub 12 is rotatably mounted in the lock case and supported by a stud 13 and by an opening 14 in the back plate 65 of the case, through which a reduced end of the hub 12 extends. Upon this hub is a rollback 15, which, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 7, is adapted to actuate an arm 15 of a latch-retracting lever provided with a second arm H which extends downwardly against the abutment 35 on the latch stem 3|. This lever is pivoted in the lock case upon the stud 69, which carries the spring-pressed ball 68, heretofore described. The hub i2 may be connected with a key-operated lock (not shown) on the outside of the door.

It is desirable to provide for the locking of the panic bar [3 against movement. This may be effected, as shown in Figs. 2 and 12, for example, by providing in one of the ears [2 a threaded screw 80 having a reduced end 8| designed to enter a recess 82 in a part of the panic bar. A

similar provision ismade for locking the panic bar at its other end, pivoted in the escutcheon M, as designated generally by the numeral 83 in Fig. 1. i

It will be noted that the screw 8!! is provided with a double thread. Heretofore it has been a tedious operation for the caretaker of a building provided with a number of doors having emergency exit locks to secure all of the bars against movement, but the provision of, thedouble threads on the holding screws enables them to be turned into place in a fraction of the time formerly required.

It may also be noted that the plate 62 is provided with studs 84, which extend into slots 85 formed in the back plate 80 of the lock case in order that this plate may be suitably guided in its reciprocatory movement.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 of the drawings we have shown a slight modification of the invention wherein the lock is adapted to be operated by a knob at the outside of the door instead of by a thumb latch, as has been described above. In this modification of the invention substantially all of the parts described above are employed with the exception of the latch-operated slide 33. This slide is replaced by a slide or yoke 9|], as shown in Fig. 10, this yoke having a laterally turned upper end 91 designed to engage below the latch-retracting levers 38 and 39 in the same manner as previously described. This yoke is shaped to re ceive between spaced legs a knob-operated hub 92 having rollback arms 93 thereon. This hub, as shown in-Fig. 11, is adapted to be received upon the outwardly extending end of the hub 55, so as to be rotatably mounted on this hub. It is also provided with an outer reduced end 94 rotatably mounted in an opening 95 in the back plate 96 of the lock case. From a comparison of Figs. 8 and 9, it will be seen that the back plate 95 used in connection with the present modification is slightly diiferent from the back plate 68 used in connection with the thumb-latch-operated lock. It will be understood that the hub 92 is designed to be operated from the outside of the door by a knob, which it is not considered necessary to illustrate. The yoke 90 is guided at its upper and lower ends in the same manner as previously described in connection with the latch piece 43.

It is believed that the operation of, the device will be understood from the above description, and it will be apparent that we have provided within a relatively small space an emergency exit lock capable of all operations normally desired in such structures, and also have made provision for the bolt to be operated by a thumb latch or knob from the outside of the door by a relatively simple substitution of a few parts.

While we have shown and described some preferred embodiments of our invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably mounted therein, an operating member pivotally mounted at the exterior of the casing and having a finger, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing against one wall thereof with which slides said finger is engaged, said bolt having a stem disposed between the slides and the other wall of the casing, means operatively connecting the slides to said stem, said means comprising alaterally projecting member on one of the slides, and a lever pivotally mounted in the casing and having a part in engagement with said member and another part engaging with said bolt stem.

2. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably carried by the casing, an operating member pivotally mounted at the exterior of the casing and having a finger, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing with which said finger is engaged, a walking beam connecting said slides, means for pivoting said walking beam in the casing comprising a plate extending across the casing in spaced relation to the front and rear walls thereof, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides, means connecting one of said slides to the stem for operation of the latter by the operating member, a member slidably mounted in the casing between said plate and wall thereof and operable from the side of the casing opposite that on which the operating member is mounted, and means operatively con" necting said slidably mounted member to the bolt stem.

3. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably carried by the casing, an operating member pivotally mounted at the exterior of the casing and having a finger, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing with which said finger is engaged, a walking beam connecting said slides, means for pivoting said walking beam in the casing comprising a plate extending across the casing in spaced relation to the front and rear walls thereof, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides, means connecting one of said slides to the stem for operation of the latter by the operating member, a member slid ably mounted in the casing between said plate and wall thereof and operable from the side of the casing opposite that on which the operating member is mounted, means operatively connecting said slidably mounted member to the bolt stem, and means to dog said last-named connecting means against operation.

4:. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably carried thereby, an operating mem ber pivotally attached to one wall of the casing and having a finger, projecting into the casing, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing adjacent the wall to which said member is pivoted, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides in superposed relation thereto, a pair of latch-retracting members pivoted in the casing and engaging said stem, means connecting one of said slides to one of said operating members to actuate the same, and an element movably mounted in the casing and operable from the side thereof opposite that to which the operating member is pivoted, said element engaging the other of said latch-retracting members.

5. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably carried thereby, an operating member pivotally attached to one wall of the casing and having a finger projecting into the casing, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in thecasing adjacent the wall to which said member is pivoted, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides in superposed relation thereto, a pair of latch-retracting members coincidentally pivoted in the casing and engaging said stem, means connecting one of said slides to one of said operating members to actuate the same, and an element movably mounted in the casing and operable from the side thereof opposite that to which the operating member is pivoted, said element engaging the otherof said latch-retractng members.

6. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably carried thereby, an operating member pivotally attached to one wall of the casing and having a finger projecting into the casing,

a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing adjacent the Wall to which said member is pivoted, said bolt having a stem extending {across said slides in superposed relation thereto, a pair of latch-retracting members coincidentally pivoted in the casing and engaging said stern, means connecting one of said slides to one of said operating members to actuate the same, an element movably mounted in the casing and operable from the side thereof opposite that to which the operating member is pivoted, said element engaging the other of said latch-retracting members, one of said latch-retracting members being superposed upon the other but having a finger extending beyond the other across the bolt stem, and a dogging member engageable against said finger to dog said latch-retracting member against movement.

'7. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably carried thereby, an operating member pivotally attached to one wall of the casing and having a finger projecting into the casing, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing adjacent the wall to which said member is pivoted, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides in superposed relation thereto, a pair of latch-retracting members coincidentally pivoted in the casing and engaging said stem, means connecting one of said slides to one of said operating members to actuate the same, an element movably mounted in the cas ing and operable from the side thereof opposite that to which the operating member is pivoted, said element engaging the other of said latch-retracting members, one of said latch-retracting members being superposed upon the other but having a finger extending beyond the other across the bolt stem, a dogging member engageable against said finger to dog said latch-retracting member against movement, and key-operated means for actuating said dogging member.

87 A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably carried thereby, an operating member pivotally attached to one wall of the casing and having a finger projecting into the casin a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing adjacent the wall to which said member is pivoted, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides in superposed relation thereto, a pair of latch-retracting members coincidentally pivoted in the casing and engaging said stem, means connecting one of said slides to one of said operating members to actuate the same, an element movably mounted in the casing and operable from the side thereof opposite that to which the operating member is pivoted,'said element engaging the other of said latch-retracting members, one of said latch-retracting members being superposed upon the other but having a finger extending beyond the other across the bolt stem, a dogging member engageable against said finger to dog said latch-retracting member against movement, said slidable element and said latch-retracting members being mounted below said bolt stem but in superposed relation to said oppositely movable slides, and means for sup-porting said members in spaced relation to said slides.

9. A door'latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably, mounted therein, an operating member pivotally mounted at the exterior of the casing and having a finger, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing with which said finger is engaged, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides in superposed relation thereto, means operatively connecting one of said slides with said stem for retraction of the latter, and means supporting said bolt stem in the casing in spaced relation with said oppositely movable slides.

10. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably mounted therein, an operating member pivoted to one wall of the casing and having a finger extending therein, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing and lying against the said wall thereof, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides in superposed relation thereto, means also in super posed relation to said slides to connect the slides with the bolt stem, additional operating means fcr said bolt stem mounted in the casing comprising a movably mounted member actuatable from the side of the casing opposite thatupon which the said operating member is mounted, means connecting said movably mounted member with the bolt stem, and said additionally mounted means being supported in superposed position in the casing with respect to said oppositely movable slides and in spaced relation with said slides.

11. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably mounted therein, an operating member pivotally mounted at the exterior of the casing and having a finger, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing with which said finger is engaged, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides in superposed relation thereto, means operatively connecting one of said slides with said stem for retraction of the latter, a walking beam connecting said slides, means for pivotally mounting said walking beam within the casing comprising a bridge member extending across the casing in spaced relation to the Walls thereof, said walking beam lying between said member and one wall of the casing, and additional operating means for the bolt 'disposed between said bridge member and the other wall of the casing.

12, A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably mounted therein and adapted to project from a side edge thereof intermediate the upper and lower ends of the casing, a panic bar pivotally carried by one wallof the casing and having a finger projecting into the casing, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the casing with which said finger is engaged, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides intermediate the ends thereof, one of said slides having a laterally projecting member disposed below said stem, means connecting said member with the bolt stem. to actuate the latter, a member slidably mounted in the casing below said stem and operable from the side of the casing opposite that to which said first-named operating member is pivoted, means connecting said slidably mounted member to the bolt stem to actuate the same, and a dogging member mounted in the casing above the bolt stem and adapted to dog said last-named connecting means against movement.

13. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably mounted therein and adapted to project from a side edge thereof intermediate the upper and lower ends of the casing, a panic bar pivotally carried by one Wall of the casing and having a finger projecting into the casing, a pair of oppositely movable slides mounted in the easing with which said finger is engaged, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides intermediate the ends thereof, one of said slides having a laterally projecting member disposed below said stem, means connecting said member with the bolt stem to actuate the latter, a member slidab-ly mounted in the casing below said stem and operable from the side of the casing opposite that to which said first-named operating member is pivoted, means connecting said slidably mounted member to the bolt stem to actuate the same, and a dogging member mounted in the casing above the bolt stem and adapted to dog said last-named connecting means against movement, said slidably mounted member and connections therefrom to said bolt stem being mounted in the casing in superposed relation with said operating slides.

14. A door latch comprising a casing, a latch bolt movably mounted therein and adapted to project from a side edge thereof intermediate the upper and lower ends of the casing, a panic bar pivotally carried by one wall of the casing and having a finger projecting into the casing, a pair of oppositely movableslides mounted in the casing with which said finger is engaged, said bolt having a stem extending across said slides intermediate the ends thereof, one of said slides having a laterally projecting member disposed below said stem, means connecting said member with the bolt stem to actuate the latter, a member slidab-ly mounted in the casing below said stem and operable from the side of the casing opposite that to which said first-named operating member is pivoted, means connecting said slidably mounted member to the bolt stem to actuate the same, a dogging member mounted in the casing above the bolt stem and adapted to dog said last-named connecting means against movement, and means mounted in the casing above said bolt stem and also operable from the side of the casing opposite that to which the first-named operating member is pivoted for actuating said stem and latch bolt and for holding said latch bolt in retracted position.

HENRY G. VOIGH'I. WILLIAM S. EDWARDS. 

